Laser beam expanders and beam control systems used to direct high energy laser beams have active optical elements, namely, mirrors which absorb large amounts of heat flux. This results in rapid deterioration or destruction of the mirror surface figure thus severely reducing the density of the laser energy at the output end of the device. To avoid such a problem the mirror elements must be cooled. One method for cooling high energy laser mirrors is to circulate a cooling fluid through a myriad of channels formed in the optical device near the exposed surface. In order to maintain a low temperature gradient without which the optical device will severely distort, it is necessary that the fluid pass into and out of the optical device at a high rate, e.g., ten or more gallons of cooling fluid a minute must pass through an optical device of relatively small diameter, e.g., six inches. Such flow rates require high fluid pressures which causes instability or jitter of the optical device as the fluid flows therethrough.
The present invention relates to a fluid connector which overcomes the above problem that provides a flexible, low spring rate and frictionless fluid connection joint to cooled mirrors or other optical devices and any degree of freedom motion drive mechanism which balances out the fluid pressure forces. The advantages of the device are the mirror and/or drive mechanisms experience minimal jitter or forces due to fluid flow which is a major problem in Directed Energy Systems for maintaining precise beam alignment and pointing.